Some automotive vehicles include side doors that do not have outside door handles. For example, these vehicles may have an electronic touchpad mounted underneath the outer surface of the door for actuating an electric latch mechanism. For these types of doors, the electric latch mechanism releases the door and allows it to open in response to an electrical signal, rather than a traditional mechanical linkage connecting an outside door handle with the latch mechanism. Since there is no outside door handle, and electric power is required to release the latch mechanism, mechanically operated backups are used to actuate the latch mechanism should the electronic latch mechanism malfunction or vehicle electrical power is lost.